In 2022, Grill’d partnered with Zendesk to respond to challenges it was experiencing with its digital infrastructure in relation to increasing efficiency and as a result help to sustain their business growth.
Prior to the partnership with Zendesk, the Grill’d customer service team were using another Al-enhanced customer service platform but found that it was not effectively handling the level of customer feedback required.
As a result, the team was repeatedly failing to meet the 24-hour first response KPI rate. In an attempt to manage the volume, additional customer service staff were hired. However, it became evident that this approach was unsustainable, particularly given our rapid annual restaurant growth. After thoroughly exploring the market and meeting with various customer feedback solution companies, both large and small, we ultimately selected Zendesk.
Zendesk presented a range of suitable and targeted customisation options, both in workspaces and reporting, which greatly appealed to Grill’d. Unlike previous solutions with preset options that often didn’t align with our needs, Zendesk provided seemingly limitless flexibility. The most significant impact resulted from the automations and triggers we implemented to tag, assign priority, and triage incoming tickets. In contrast to the previous manual process of tagging and triaging each ticket for individual restaurants and was a highly inefficient process.
In just three months of utilising the Zendesk systems, Grill’d for the first time was not only able to reach its target of 24-hour first response rate, but in fact exceeded their own expectations by reaching an impressive 12-hour turnaround—an improvement of 84%. This was achieved in collaboration with the Zendesk team, who helped us identify and address our own specific needs and implement the best solutions, which enabled the team to completely clear their backlog.
Zendesk has played a crucial role by providing essential support and facilitating seamless expansion for Grill’d. Given the ongoing and robust growth of our business, it was important to establish resilient systems capable of evolving alongside our operations. Additionally, we recognise the importance of investing in our own business, ensuring that we stay at the forefront of industry advancements, particularly in areas such as AI. This strategic approach has been instrumental in sustaining our momentum and achieving a leading position in the market.
As Grill’d continues to grow, Zendesk remains an integral component of our customer service strategy. Our collaboration with Zendesk has been crucial in overcoming challenges, such as managing and achieving a commendable 24-hour first response rate. Looking forward, we anticipate that Zendesk’s customisation options, automation features, and collaborative support will continue to enhance our customer service operations.
Grill’d will continue in leveraging Zendesk’s scalable and flexible systems. These systems are essential in establishing resilient and adaptable structures that can evolve alongside our expanding operations. As we invest in our business and strive to stay at the forefront of industry advancements, particularly in areas like AI, Zendesk’s role will undoubtedly remain pivotal. We appreciate the ongoing support of Zendesk in achieving our customer service objectives and sustaining operational momentum.
At Grill’d, we firmly believe that AI represents the future of customer feedback and will play a pivotal role in assisting Grill’d to streamline customer service process for both staff and customers.
Ariel Landy is customer and insights lead at Grill’d.